Twenty years after the closing of Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital, thoughts on Parkland, Florida.

By Stuart J. Moskovitz

In 1966, Chief Judge Bazelon of the D.C. Appellate Court reviewed a lower court decision where the judge had said, “My jurisdiction is limited to determining whether [the patient] has recovered his sanity. I don’t think I have a right to consider whether he is getting enough treatment.”

Chief Judge Bazelon stated, “Absent treatment, the hospital is transformed into a penitentiary where one could be held indefinitely for no convicted offense.”

He then went on to note that in 1964 Congress had passed the Hospitalization of the Mentally Ill Act which provides, in part, “A person hospitalized in a public hospital for a mental illness shall, during his hospitalization, be entitled to medical and psychiatric care and treatment.”

He defined that requisite care by saying, “According to leading experts ‘psychiatric care and treatment’ includes not only the contacts with psychiatrists but also activities and contacts with the hospital staff designed to cure or improve the patient.”

AMES, IA. — Gov. Chris Christie said that he is against universal background checks for Americans seeking to buy firearms. Speaking at a town hall meeting at Brick City Grill on Saturday morning, a mother of two said that the level of gun violence in the nation “terrifies me” and asked Christie if he “stands with… Read the rest of this entry »

John Lafergolo, 52, of Millstone appeared in federal court in Trenton this morning on charges that he possessed 36 machine guns, which are illegal to possess in the United States, according to a state by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s Office.

Lafergola was arrested at his Millstone home following a domestic violence incident on October 5, 2014.

According to the 2014 complaints Lafergola pointed a black 5.7X28mm Fabrique Nationale Herstal handgun model Five Seven at the victim. It is alleged that while Lafergola was pointing the handgun at the victim, he stated “I’ll blow your f***ing brain’s out”.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama launched his unilateral attempt to crack down on illegal gun purchases on Tuesday, blaming the “constant excuses for inaction” from Congress as justification for his exercise of executive power. But in an emotional address quoting the Bible, the Constitution and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Obama also tacitly acknowledged the… Read the rest of this entry »

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie is one of only three 2016 Republican presidential contenders who doesn’t own a firearm, according to a survey conducted by the Telegraph. Christie joins former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and businesswoman Carly Fiorina as the only three GOP White House hopefuls who aren’t gun owners. However, the Telegraph notes, Fiorina’s husband… Read the rest of this entry »

A 52-year-old woman with a permit to carry a handgun in Florida could face up to 10 years in prison after being arrested in Jersey City while attempting to board a ferry to Ellis Island while carrying a gun, authorities said. Elizabeth J. Griffith, of Daytona Beach, was arrested by U.S. Park Police on July 14… Read the rest of this entry »

It started with a man in the audience asking Gov. Chris Christie how he’ll prove to gun owners he isn’t “anti-gun.” Soon, Christie was angrily defending his record on guns Saturday morning during a town hall meeting in Iowa as part of his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. “If you want to debate me, come… Read the rest of this entry »

TRENTON — At 9:30 p.m. on the eve of his Republican presidential campaign kickoff, Gov. Chris Christie announced a change to state firearm policy on an issue that has been riling gun rights activists. The governor also signaled support for loosening New Jersey’s strict gun control laws. Reacting to the June 3 death of 39-year-old Berlin… Read the rest of this entry »

CONCORD, N.H. — The North Brunwsick armored car driver who took a plea for illegally transporting his legally owned handgun in his car has received a pardon from Gov. Chris Christie, the governor’s office announced Monday. The clemency granted by Christie to Steffon Josey-Davis, 24, gives him a “full and free” pardon for all criminal charges… Read the rest of this entry »

Two Neptune Township men arrested last week after a month-long investigation revealed they were in possession of 600 decks of heroin ready for sale and three guns; a AR-15 assault rifle, a defaced 9mm handgun and a .40-caliber handgun have been released after posting bail, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Kahil Aziz, 25, already a convicted felon, was released after posting $235,000 bail as set by Neptune Township Municipal Court Judge Robin Wernik. Joel Jones, 30, was released after posting $200,000 bail as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Honora O’Brien Kilgallen. No 10% bail option was available to either defendant.